CORNERFLICK
Nuno Mendes has played down the hype around his meeting with Lamine Yamal, saying he is looking forward to the contest when Portugal face Spain.
The Portugal left-back, speaking at camp in Toronto, responded to Yamal’s praise of him as the hardest defender to play against. Mendes said he saw the video and called the Barcelona forward “a player with extraordinary quality”.
“We are going to face each other and I am sure it will be an exciting duel,” Mendes said. “I like playing against him. He is a young player, he has a lot of quality and he can make the difference.”
Mendes added that Spain’s strength on the ball means Portugal will need a strong team performance. He said stopping Yamal from getting on the ball would give Portugal a good start, while stressing that collective work will matter most.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender also brushed aside recent praise from other players, including Marc Cucurella, who described him as the best left-back in the world. Mendes said kind words are always welcome, but his focus remains on helping Portugal. He also recalled speaking briefly with Cucurella after Chelsea played PSG.